Written Answers Thursday 7 October 2010

Scottish Executive

Business Rates

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discus

  sions it has had with organisations and representatives from the business community following the business rates revaluation that came into effect in April 2010.

John Swinney: Throughout the revaluation process ministers and officials have taken a number of actions to communicate with the business community. This includes meeting, corresponding and listening to representations from a number of individual ratepayers and business organisations.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses appealed their business rate valuation in each year since 2005-06.

John Swinney: In total 57,752 appeals were lodged in relation to rateable values for business properties following the 2005 business rates revaluation (covering the period between then and the latest 2010 revaluation).

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses have appealed their business rate revaluation since 1 April 2010.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many rates revaluation appeals since 1 April 2010 have been concluded and how many have been successful.

John Swinney: Businesses have until 30 September to lodge an appeal against the rateable value determined by the assessor at the 2010 revaluation and final numbers of appeals will not be known until after that date.

  As at 30 June 2010, 9,744 appeals had been lodged and 95 had been settled. As a result of successful appeals the rateable values of those properties were reduced by £0.8 million.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses successfully appealed their business rate revaluation in each year since 2005-06.

John Swinney: Information on the number of successful appeals is not held centrally.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in each local authority area were eligible for rates relief of (a) 100%, (b) 50% and (c) 25% under the small business bonus scheme in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

John Swinney: An estimate of the number of properties eligible for Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) in each local authority area for 2009-10 is shown in the following table. Equivalent data for 2008-09 is not held centrally.

  The Scheme has been widely promoted and it is estimated that 85% of eligible small properties now benefit from relief. The Scottish Government is aware that a number of businesses eligible for SBBS have not yet applied for the scheme and efforts will continue to encourage take-up among that group.

  Estimated Number of Properties Eligible for Relief

  

Aberdeen City
3,536


Aberdeenshire
6,855


Angus
3,298


Argyll and Bute
5,755


Clackmannanshire
848


Dumfries and Galloway
6,368


Dundee City
3,026


East Ayrshire
2,377


East Dunbartonshire
1,350


East Lothian
2,261


East Renfrewshire
1,004


Edinburgh, City Of
8,861


Eilean Siar
1,715


Falkirk
2,568


Fife
7,759


Glasgow City
12,736


Highland
12,161


Inverclyde
1,414


Midlothian
1,640


Moray
3,337


North Ayrshire
3,228


North Lanarkshire
5,265


Orkney Islands
1,596


Perth and Kinross
5,199


Renfrewshire
3,564


Scottish Borders
5,084


Shetland Islands
1,293


South Ayrshire
2,999


South Lanarkshire
5,353


Stirling
2,896


West Dunbartonshire
1,544


West Lothian
2,883


Scotland
129,773

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in each local authority area received rates relief of (a) 100%, (b) 50% and (c) 25% under the small business bonus scheme in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

John Swinney: Take-up of relief among eligible small business properties in 2008-09 is published at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/TakeUpofBusinessRates0809 .

  Take-up of relief among eligible small business properties in 2009-10 is published at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/17999/11199/relief-statistics-2009-10/Full-Report.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in each local authority area are eligible for rates relief of (a) 100%, (b) 50% and (c) 25% under the small business bonus scheme in 2010-11.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in each local authority area it expects to receive rates relief of (a) 100%, (b) 50% and (c) 25% under the small business bonus scheme in 2010-11.

John Swinney: Latest figures show that 74,000 business properties in Scotland received a discount on their bill through Small Business Bonus, and 64,000 of those paid no rates at all.

  However, there are a number of properties which are eligible, but have not claimed. In the coming weeks, the Scottish Government will write to businesses to encourage those who are eligible for the scheme, but have not yet claimed, to apply for the relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme.

  Figures on actual take-up for 2010-11 will be published later in 2011, which will include a breakdown by local authority area.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35879 by John Swinney on 6 September 2010, how many businesses in each local authority area have had (a) a decrease and (b) no change in their business rate as a result of rates revaluation from 1 April 2010.

John Swinney: A full breakdown of bill changes following the 2010 revaluation by local authority area, including the number of ratepayers who saw their bills decrease and those whose bills did not change, is shown in the following table. The figures given are before the impact of reliefs or appeals, both of which will significantly increase the number of properties who will see their bills decrease.

  

Local Authority 
Ratepayers with Bill Decrease
Ratepayers with no Change to Bill
Ratepayers with Bill Increase - up to 12.5%
Ratepayers with Bill Increase - over 12.5%


Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%


Aberdeen City 
3,428
41.6
677
8.2
2,203
26.7
1,934
23.5


Aberdeenshire
2,224
20.6
2,920
27.1
1,789
16.6
3,848
35.7


Angus
2,009
41.9
1,063
22.2
1,034
21.6
691
14.4


Argyll and Bute
2,726
36.0
1,376
18.2
1,624
21.4
1,846
24.4


Clackmannanshire
751
48.8
204
13.3
264
17.2
319
20.7


Dumfries and Galloway
3,228
36.5
2,211
25.0
1,602
18.1
1,813
20.5


Dundee City 
3,072
54.4
622
11.0
1,281
22.7
675
11.9


East Ayrshire
2,334
62.0
576
15.3
466
12.4
387
10.3


East Dunbartonshire 
1,450
64.5
186
8.3
357
15.9
256
11.4


East Lothian 
961
29.7
592
18.3
781
24.2
899
27.8


East Renfrewshire 
1,007
61.6
199
12.2
215
13.2
213
13.0


Edinburgh, City of
8,034
42.9
1,682
9.0
4,963
26.5
4,070
21.7


Eilean Siar
453
21.3
541
25.4
647
30.4
488
22.9


Falkirk 
2,601
55.2
614
13.0
851
18.1
645
13.7


Fife 
5,741
45.3
2,052
16.2
2,286
18.0
2,602
20.5


Glasgow City 
12,168
49.0
2,526
10.2
5,580
22.5
4,570
18.4


Highland 
4,762
28.7
2,986
18.0
4,048
24.4
4,819
29.0


Inverclyde
1,451
63.7
255
11.2
227
10.0
346
15.2


Midlothian 
1,001
36.9
401
14.8
602
22.2
711
26.2


Moray
760
17.2
1,061
24.1
971
22.0
1,617
36.7


North Ayrshire
2,601
53.9
644
13.3
700
14.5
884
18.3


North Lanarkshire 
5,590
62.4
948
10.6
1,172
13.1
1,249
13.9


Orkney Islands 
275
14.0
446
22.7
434
22.1
812
41.3


Perth and Kinross
3,785
47.0
1,733
21.5
1,155
14.3
1,383
17.2


Renfrewshire
3,903
65.0
650
10.8
698
11.6
755
12.6


Scottish Borders
1,700
24.6
1,507
21.8
1,237
17.9
2,465
35.7


Shetland Islands 
556
29.4
507
26.8
361
19.1
470
24.8


South Ayrshire
2,755
60.7
570
12.6
606
13.3
609
13.4


South Lanarkshire 
5,570
59.6
1,053
11.3
1,317
14.1
1,412
15.1


Stirling 
2,484
51.4
714
14.8
760
15.7
873
18.1


West Dunbartonshire 
1,876
69.7
203
7.5
272
10.1
340
12.6


West Lothian 
2,715
50.6
637
11.9
956
17.8
1,055
19.7


Total
93,971
44.2
32,356
15.2
41,459
19.5
45,056
21.2

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total rateable value was of properties subject to non-domestic rates in each local authority area on 1 April 2009.

John Swinney: The total rateable value of all non-domestic properties, by local authority, as at 1 April 2009 is as follows.

  

 
Total Rateable Value (£)


Aberdeen City
338,017,485


Aberdeenshire
148,721,269


Angus
62,629,990


Argyll and Bute
69,440,478


Clackmannanshire
31,528,609


Dumfries and Galloway
95,115,433


Dundee City
167,677,602


East Ayrshire
69,075,385


East Dunbartonshire
53,658,753


East Lothian
50,086,207


East Renfrewshire
33,267,603


Edinburgh, City of
775,278,710


Eilean Siar
16,494,864


Falkirk
141,528,984


Fife
314,767,905


Glasgow City
821,710,457


Highland
228,909,335


Inverclyde
52,971,056


Midlothian
58,314,680


Moray
62,857,408


North Ayrshire
88,844,308


North Lanarkshire
259,614,495


Orkney Islands
18,272,775


Perth and Kinross
120,563,814


Renfrewshire
192,845,073


Scottish Borders
65,227,428


Shetland Islands
32,033,922


South Ayrshire
94,986,302


South Lanarkshire
428,358,628


Stirling
96,001,790


West Dunbartonshire
137,548,587


West Lothian
172,598,285

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what net increase there has been in non-domestic rateable values in each local authority area as a result of rates revaluation from 1 April 2010.

John Swinney: It is not possible to split out changes in rateable values which are solely due to the 2010 revaluation.

  Rateable values will vary when compared across any given time period, including a revaluation period, because of a number of reasons. This includes where properties are built or demolished and when existing properties are merged, split, extended or there is a change in use of a property.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rateable value is of properties subject to non-domestic rates in each local authority area.

John Swinney: Data on total rateable values in each local authority area is published on the Scottish Assessors website at www.saa.gov.uk .

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total non-domestic rates payable were in each local authority area as of 1 April 2009.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what net increase there has been in non-domestic rates payable from each local authority area as a result of rates revaluation from 1 April 2010.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total non-domestic rates payable were in each local authority area as of 1 April 2010.

John Swinney: The following table shows the non-domestic rates payable by each local authority in 2009-10 and 2010-11 and the difference between the two figures.

  The Scottish Government guarantees each local authority a combination of distributable business rates plus general revenue grant, with the total amount calculated on the basis of assessed need in each local authority area. The actual amount of business rates collected by each local authority is then deducted from this guaranteed funding with the balance paid as general revenue grant. The amount of business rates collected locally therefore has no effect on the total guaranteed funding.

  The revaluation of business properties takes place every five years. The income received from business rates in the year prior to a revaluation, in this case 2009-10, is depressed as many appeals against the previous revaluation (2005) are settled towards the end of the revaluation cycle. Conversely the income received from business rates in the first year following a revaluation, in this case 2010-11, is over stated as the majority of appeals, which although backdated to 1 April 2010, will again not be settled until later in the 2010 revaluation cycle.

  Therefore, while the latest forecasts in the table show the amount of business rates income collected in 2009-10 and 2010-11, the comparison between the years is distorted by the impact of appeals which deflates the income collected in 2009-10 and inflates the income to be collected in 2010-11. It should also be noted that the 2009-10 figures are near final, whereas the 2010-11 are estimated and as such will change.

  The purpose of revaluation over the five year cycle is to redistribute the tax burden, based on changes in relative demand for property, not to generate additional income.

  

Local Authority
NDR Payable PNA 
2009-10
NDR Payable PCA 
2010-11
Change £


Aberdeen City
£142,763,016
£161,396,546
£18,633,530


Aberdeenshire
£58,804,592
£69,025,261
£10,220,669


Angus
£23,153,186
£24,481,666
£1,328,480


Argyll and Bute
£25,976,961
£26,781,666
£804,705


Clackmannanshire
£12,553,309
£13,048,808
£495,499


Dumfries and Galloway
£37,549,020
£39,380,349
£1,831,329


Dundee City
£63,378,807
£63,099,621
-£279,186


East Ayrshire
£26,432,785
£25,795,000
-£637,785


East Dunbartonshire
£20,884,649
£21,081,482
£196,833


East Lothian
£18,455,369
£18,580,093
£124,724


East Renfrewshire
£12,133,313
£11,941,609
-£191,704


Edinburgh, City of
£302,771,387
£299,700,501
-£3,070,886


Eilean Siar
£5,556,622
£6,533,362
£976,740


Falkirk
£58,473,683
£58,595,000
£121,317


Fife
£125,980,927
£147,988,623
£22,007,696


Glasgow City
£323,474,666
£316,363,179
-£7,111,487


Highland
£87,016,816
£93,669,829
£6,653,013


Inverclyde
£19,501,067
£17,316,895
-£2,184,172


Midlothian
£21,805,008
£23,463,566
£1,658,558


Moray
£25,516,102
£28,680,829
£3,164,727


North Ayrshire
£32,414,930
£32,998,388
£583,458


North Lanarkshire
£103,531,236
£97,061,836
-£6,469,400


Orkney
£6,961,660
£7,843,119
£881,459


Perth and Kinross
£45,365,873
£46,400,645
£1,034,772


Renfrewshire
£75,194,899
£84,528,464
£9,333,565


Scottish Borders
£23,623,429
£24,339,671
£716,242


Shetland
£12,426,229
£14,364,327
£1,938,098


South Ayrshire
£35,763,021
£35,382,759
-£380,262


South Lanarkshire
£184,232,618
£258,026,992
£73,794,374


Stirling
£37,500,343
£32,794,389
-£4,705,954


West Dunbartonshire
£62,271,303
£66,544,916
£4,273,613


West Lothian
£71,015,719
£70,706,203
-£309,516



  Notes:

  2009-10 figures from PNA (provisional notified amount) return from local authorities.

  2010-11 figures from PCA (provisional contributable amount) return from local authorities.

  Figures relate to gross amount of NDR income minus mandatory and discretionary reliefs.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the non-domestic rates income was of each local authority in 2009-10.

John Swinney: The following table shows the amount of business rates income distributed in 2009-2010 broken down by local authority.

  The Scottish Government guarantees each local authority a combination of distributable business rates plus general revenue grant. The total amount to be funded is calculated on the basis of assessed need in each local authority area. The amount of business rates raised locally therefore has no effect on the total guaranteed funding.

  Business Rate Income Distributed 2009-10

  

Local Authority
2009-10 


£ Million


Aberdeen City
88.1


Aberdeenshire
100.7


Angus
46.2


Argyll and Bute
38.4


Clackmannanshire
21.0


Dumfries and Galloway
62.4


Dundee City
59.8


East Ayrshire
50.3


East Dunbartonshire
44.1


East Lothian
39.7


East Renfrewshire
37.6


Edinburgh, City of
197.0


Eilean Siar
11.1


Falkirk
63.4


Fife
151.7


Glasgow City
244.9


Highland
91.5


Inverclyde
34.1


Midlothian
33.5


Moray
36.6


North Ayrshire
57.1


North Lanarkshire
136.7


Orkney
8.4


Perth and Kinross
59.8


Renfrewshire
71.4


Scottish Borders
46.9


Shetland
9.2


South Ayrshire
47.0


South Lanarkshire
130.3


Stirling
37.1


West Dunbartonshire
38.3


West Lothian
70.6



  Note: The figures above are taken from the relevant annual local government finance circular issued by the Scottish Government.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what change there was in the non-domestic rates income of each local authority from 1 April 2010.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the non-domestic rates income of each local authority will be in 2010-11

John Swinney: The following table shows the change in business rates income distributed between 2009-10 and 2010-11 broken down by local authority.

  The figures for 2010-11 use the latest forecast of net income from non-domestic rates in 2010-11 and also draw on council estimates of the amounts they will contribute to the pool from non-domestic rates in 2009-10. Included in the estimated figures are a calculation of gross income, expected losses from appeals and estimated expenditure on mandatory and other reliefs as well as write-offs and provision of bad debt.

  The actual income distributed to councils also takes into account prior year adjustments for under and over-payments to the non-domestic rate pool as result of councils collecting more or less non-domestic rates than estimated.

  Business Rate Income Distributed 2009-11

  

 
2009-10
2010-11
Change from 2009-10 to 2010-11


Local Authority
£ Million
£ Million
£ Million


Aberdeen City
88.1
84.2
-3.9


Aberdeenshire
100.7
96.6
-4.1


Angus
46.2
44.1
-2.1


Argyll and Bute
38.4
36.2
-2.2


Clackmannanshire
21
20.2
-0.8


Dumfries and Galloway
62.4
59.5
-2.9


Dundee City
59.8
57.0
-2.8


East Ayrshire
50.3
48.0
-2.3


East Dunbartonshire
44.1
41.9
-2.2


East Lothian
39.7
38.5
-1.2


East Renfrewshire
37.6
35.7
-1.9


Edinburgh, City of
197
188.7
-8.3


Eilean Siar
11.1
10.5
-0.6


Falkirk
63.4
60.7
-2.7


Fife
151.7
144.8
-6.9


Glasgow City
244.9
233.8
-11.1


Highland
91.5
87.8
-3.7


Inverclyde
34.1
32.3
-1.8


Midlothian
33.5
32.2
-1.3


Moray
36.6
35.1
-1.5


North Ayrshire
57.1
54.3
-2.8


North Lanarkshire
136.7
130.3
-6.4


Orkney
8.4
8.0
-0.4


Perth and Kinross
59.8
57.7
-2.1


Renfrewshire
71.4
68.0
-3.4


Scottish Borders
46.9
45.0
-1.9


Shetland
9.2
8.8
-0.4


South Ayrshire
47
44.7
-2.3


South Lanarkshire
130.3
124.1
-6.2


Stirling
37.1
35.4
-1.7


West Dunbartonshire
38.3
36.4
-1.9


West Lothian
70.6
67.8
-2.8



  Note: The figures above are taken or calculated from relevant annual local government finance circulars issued by the Scottish Government.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its income was from non-domestic rates in each local authority in 2009-10.

John Swinney: The following table shows the amount of business rates collected by each local authority in 2009-10.

  The Scottish Government guarantees each local authority a combination of distributable business rates plus general revenue grant, with the total amount calculated on the basis of assessed need in each local authority area. The actual amount of business rates collected by each local authority is then deducted from this guaranteed funding with the balance paid as general revenue grant. The amount of business rates collected locally therefore has no effect on the total guaranteed funding.

  Business Rates Collected by Local Authority 2009-10

  

Local Authority
2009-101 £Million


Aberdeen City
140.1


Aberdeenshire
57.8


Angus
21.7


Argyll and Bute
25.2


Clackmannanshire
10.8


Dumfries and Galloway
35.9


Dundee City
59.9


East Ayrshire
25.2


East Dunbartonshire
19.8


East Lothian
18.0


East Renfrewshire
11.9


Edinburgh, City of
291.9


Eilean Siar
5.5


Falkirk
55.6


Fife
120.6


Glasgow City
301.6


Highland
82.8


Inverclyde
18.5


Midlothian
21.2


Moray
24.7


North Ayrshire
30.6


North Lanarkshire
98.0


Orkney
6.8


Perth and Kinross
44.6


Renfrewshire
75.0


Scottish Borders
22.9


Shetland
12.2


South Ayrshire
33.6


South Lanarkshire
176.8


Stirling
36.4


West Dunbartonshire
59.6


West Lothian
68.8



  Note: 1. The figures are provisional notified amounts; the latest available returns for 2009-10 made to the Scottish Government by local authorities.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what net change there will be in its income from non-domestic rates from each local authority following rates revaluation from 1 April 2010.

John Swinney: The following table shows the change in the amount of business rates collected by each local authority between 2009-10 and 2010-11.

  The Scottish Government guarantees each local authority a combination of distributable business rates plus general revenue grant, with the total amount calculated on the basis of assessed need in each local authority area. The actual amount of business rates collected by each local authority is then deducted from this guaranteed funding with the balance paid as general revenue grant. The amount of business rates collected locally therefore has no effect on the total guaranteed funding.

  The revaluation of business properties takes place every five years. The income received from business rates in the year prior to a revaluation, in this case 2009-10, is depressed as many appeals against the previous revaluation (2005) are settled towards the end of the revaluation cycle. Conversely, the income received from business rates in the first year following a revaluation, in this case 2010-11, is over stated as the majority of appeals, which although backdated to 1 April 2010, will again not be settled until later in the 2010 revaluation cycle.

  Therefore, while the latest forecasts in the table show the amount of business rates income collected in 2009-10 and 2010-11, the comparison between the years is distorted by the impact of appeals which deflates the income collected in 2009-10 and inflates the income to be collected in 2010-11. It should also be noted that the 2009-10 figures are near final, whereas the 2010-11 are estimated and as such will change.

  The purpose of revaluation over the five year cycle is to redistribute the tax burden, not to generate additional income.

  Business Rates Collected by Local Authority 2009-11

  

Local Authority
2009-101 £Million
2010-112 £Million
Change from 2009-10 to 2010-11 £Million


Aberdeen City
140.1
160.6
20.6


Aberdeenshire
57.8
68.3
10.6


Angus
21.7
23.6
2.0


Argyll and Bute
25.2
26.1
0.8


Clackmannanshire
10.8
12.6
1.8


Dumfries and Galloway
35.9
39.1
3.1


Dundee City
59.9
60.9
1.0


East Ayrshire
25.2
24.6
-0.6


East Dunbartonshire
19.8
20.4
0.6


East Lothian
18.0
18.4
0.4


East Renfrewshire
11.9
11.8
0.0


Edinburgh, City of
291.9
295.6
3.7


Eilean Siar
5.5
6.5
1.0


Falkirk
55.6
54.5
-1.1


Fife
120.6
127.5
6.9


Glasgow City
301.6
295.9
-5.7


Highland
82.8
92.6
9.8


Inverclyde
18.5
17.2
-1.3


Midlothian
21.2
23.2
2.1


Moray
24.7
25.5
0.9


North Ayrshire
30.6
32.6
2.0


North Lanarkshire
98.0
94.3
-3.6


Orkney
6.8
7.7
1.0


Perth and Kinross
44.6
45.9
1.3


Renfrewshire
75.0
83.7
8.7


Scottish Borders
22.9
23.3
0.4


Shetland
12.2
14.2
2.0


South Ayrshire
33.6
34.8
1.1


South Lanarkshire
176.8
255.8
79.0


Stirling
36.4
31.8
-4.6


West Dunbartonshire
59.6
65.8
6.2


West Lothian
68.8
70.1
1.3



  Notes:

  1. The figures for 2009-10 are provisional notified amounts; the latest available returns made to the Scottish Government by local authorities.

  2. The figures for 2010-11 are provisional contributable amounts; the latest available returns made to the Scottish Government by local authorities.

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its income will be from non-domestic rates from each local authority in 2010-11.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36257 on 7 October 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Business Rates

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the cost would be of introducing transitional relief for businesses facing increased bills as a result of rates revaluation from 1 April 2010 that capped any increase in rates payable at (a) 12.5%, (b) 25% and (c) 37.5% per year.

John Swinney: The cost of transitional relief with a 12.5% cap was published by the Scottish Government on 14 May 2010 in the following report:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0098553.pdf.

  The report showed the overall cost of a cap at this level, before appeals and reliefs are taken into account, would be around £194 million in 2010-11. To offset the cost would have meant increasing the bills for almost 99,000 properties by a total of £136million. The remaining shortfall of £58 million would have been funded by the Scottish Government. A relief scheme along these lines would have had the further result of shifting £77 million in business rates from largely public sector and large statutory undertakings onto small and medium enterprises and high street properties.

  At the time the analysis was carried out for the May report, it was based on rateable values existing at 1 April (the date of the revaluation). The example of a 12.5% cap was illustrated because that is the level traditionally applied for transitional relief (it is, for example, the level that currently applies in England). In the period since then, the basis of the model has shifted as valuation appeals have begun to be settled. It will increasingly shift further as the appeal process gathers pace. Some of the resulting changes are already quite significant. As a result, it would now be misleading to model alternative rate caps using rateable values based on the information that existed at April 2010 which is out of date and therefore no longer valid.

Class Sizes

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the additional revenue and capital costs to local authorities of the policy of imposing a maximum number of 25 pupils in primary 1 classes.

Michael Russell: The financial effects of The Education (Lower Primary Class Sizes) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2010 were addressed in the related Executive Note.

  The Scottish Government consulted widely prior to introducing the regulations. The vast majority of the 24 local authorities that responded explicitly welcomed the regulations, and comments relating to resource implications referred almost exclusively to the possibility of extending the requirements to P2 and P3 classes.

Further Education

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the participation rate in further education was, including provision of HNC and HND level courses for local residents, in Glasgow Baillieston and what the national average was in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Keith Brown: The following table shows participation figures for Glasgow Baillieston and for Scotland as a whole for academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09. Data relating to academic year 2009-10 will not be available until 2011.

  Participation per thousand of working age population in further education (including HNCs/HNDs) at Scottish institutions for all of Scotland and Glasgow Baillieston by institution type: 2007-08 to 2008-09:

  

   
Overall Participation
Participation at HEIs
Participation at Colleges


2007-08
All of Scotland
128.9
1.5
127.4


Glasgow Baillieston
171.3
0.2
171.1


2008-09
All of Scotland
126.3
1.4
124.9


Glasgow Baillieston
185.9
0.3
185.5



  Sources: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (SNS).

  Notes:

  1. HEIs: higher education institutions.

  2. Participation has been calculated as the number of enrolments per thousand of the working age population.

Health and Safety

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the UK Government regarding health and safety legislation and the police service.

Kenny MacAskill: No. Health and safety legislation is a reserved matter for consideration by the UK Parliament. I await the publication of Lord Young's review of health and safety legislation to see whether there are any consequences for policing in Scotland.

Higher Education

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the participation rate was in higher education, excluding HNC and HND provision by further education colleges, in Glasgow Baillieston and what the national average was in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Keith Brown: The following table shows participation figures for Glasgow Baillieston and for Scotland as a whole for academic years 2007-08 and 2008-09. Data relating to academic year 2009-10 will not be available until 2011.

  Participation per thousand of working age population in higher education (excluding HNCs/HNDs) at Scottish institutions for all of Scotland and Glasgow Baillieston by institution type: 2007-08 to 2008-09:

  

   
Overall Participation
Participation at HEIs
Participation at Colleges


2007-08
All of Scotland
62.3
48.3
14.0


Glasgow Baillieston
92.0
64.6
27.4


2008-09
All of Scotland
62.4
48.3
14.1


Glasgow Baillieston
91.5
66.2
25.4



  Sources: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (SNS).

  1. HEIs: higher education institutions.

  2. Participation has been calculated as the number of enrolments per thousand of the working age population.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many court fines have not been paid and what the total value has been of such fines in each year since 2008, broken down by sheriffdom.

Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The questions has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

Planning

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what total number of planning applications was decided by each local authority and what percentage was decided within two months in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2009-10.

Stewart Stevenson: Planning Authority
2006-07
2009-10


Number of Applications
Percent Under Two Months
Number of Applications 
  (exc. major)
Percent Under Two Months
  (exc. Major)


Aberdeen City
2,304
65.8
1,683
69.2


Aberdeenshire
3,938
51.6
2,713
56.0


Angus
1,495
69.4
1,127
75.5


Argyll and Bute
1,752
62.9
1,208
62.7


Cairngorms NP
43
0.0
44
11.4


Clackmannanshire
381
85.3
269
95.5


Dumfries and Galloway
2,422
60.8
1,774
60.4


Dundee City
947
58.9
613
61.3


East Ayrshire
1,050
55.2
743
52.6


East Dunbartonshire
1,151
60.0
846
72.5


East Lothian
1,169
68.9
910
75.1


East Renfrewshire
947
71.8
684
83.2


City of Edinburgh
4,418
63.9
3,153
72.9


Eilean Siar
478
60.7
511
64.2


Falkirk
1,103
63.6
707
61.1


Fife
3,678
49.4
2,418
59.9


Glasgow City
3,449
68.0
2,540
66.9


Highland
4,605
56.0
3,533
63.3


Inverclyde
538
78.1
466
76.2


Loch Lomond and The Trossachs NP
431
47.8
322
41.0


Midlothian
791
60.6
492
57.3


Moray
1,470
46.7
1,147
37.1


North Ayrshire
1,118
75.5
782
84.1


North Lanarkshire
2,003
76.1
1,153
71.8


Orkney Islands
559
45.6
523
68.8


Perth and Kinross
2,215
48.4
1,878
54.7


Renfrewshire
1,146
61.4
766
66.1


Scottish Borders
2,169
45.2
1,463
61.2


Shetland Islands
172
22.1
320
42.5


South Ayrshire
1,587
56.3
1,168
54.4


South Lanarkshire
2,692
77.1
1,723
63.4


Stirling
946
67.7
727
79.5


West Dunbartonshire
188
85.1
294
71.8


West Lothian
1,242
77.9
836
74.6


Scotland
54,597
61.0
39,536
64.4



  Notes:

  1. As part of modernising planning the main legislative changes to development management, including planning application procedures, enforcement, planning appeal procedures and new local review procedures took effect from 3 August 2009. The planning authority performance data returns were revised to align these returns with the new planning system. The return has a greater emphasis on the hierarchy of developments, and thresholds to distinguish between major and local developments have been revised. As such, performance data prior to 3 August 2009 is not comparable with that after 3 August 2009, except at an aggregate level.

  Revisions have been made to the following categories:

  (a) Minerals – previously all mineral developments were included together. This has been separated into major developments, where site area is or exceeds two hectares, local developments, where site area is less than two hectares, and local developments subject an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

  (b) Housing (previously Dwellings) – the threshold for major developments has been revised. Major developments are now defined as 50 or more dwellings or a site area that is or exceeds two hectares (previously defined as 10 or more dwellings or a site area that is or exceeds of 0.5 hectares). Local developments are now defined less than 50 dwellings or a site area of less than two hectares (previously defined as less than 10 dwellings or a site area less than 0.5 hectares). Local developments subject to an EIA are now recorded separately.

  (c) Business and Industry - the threshold for major developments has been revised. Major developments are now defined as a gross floor space that is or exceeds 10,000 square metres or a site area that is or exceeds two hectares (previously defined as 1,000 square metres or a site area that is or exceeds of one hectare). Local developments are now defined as a gross floor space less than 10,000 square metres or a site area of less than two hectares (previously defined as less than 1,000 square metres or a site area less than one hectare). Local developments subject to an EIA are now recorded separately.

  (d) Other developments - the threshold for major developments has been revised. Major developments are now defined as a gross floor space that is or exceeds 5,000 square metres or a site area that is or exceeds two hectares (previously defined as 1,000 square metres or a site area that is or exceeds of one hectare). Local developments are now defined as a gross floor space less than 5,000 square metres or a site area of less than two hectares (previously defined as less than 1,000 square metres or a site area less than one hectare). Local developments subject to an EIA are now recorded separately.

  The 2009-10 figures have been aggregated from two separate sets of data pertaining to the two different planning systems, and therefore contain planning applications measured on different bases – care should be taken with these figures.

  2. In 2006-07, all applications were reported against a two-month target - this is not the case in 2009-10 due to definitional changes as described in note 1.

  3. Due to the aforementioned definitional changes, a further 959 applications (classed as major) have not been included in the 2009-10 figures, as they were only measured against a four-month target.

  4. The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) do not receive planning applications directly but are notified of applications which have been made to those planning authorities within the park boundaries. The CNPA may then decide to call applications in for their determination. Planning applications may therefore have already been in the system for a number of weeks before being transferred to the CNPA. The percentage of Cairngorms applications processed in under two months are lower than those of the other planning authorities due to the reasons stated above. The CPNA do not have delegation powers.

Scottish Futures Trust

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £111 million that has been reported as being saved by the Scottish Futures Trust has been or will be deployed.

John Swinney: The Scottish Futures Trust has identified £111 million of net future benefits as a result of work undertaken in 2009-10. These benefits are from a mixture of efficiency gains, additional investment and avoided costs.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what vacant posts in its directorates with responsibility for the NHS have been left unfilled in the last 12 months as part of the cost-saving exercise.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what vacant posts in its directorates for learning and lifelong learning have been left unfilled in the last 12 months as part of the cost-saving exercise.

John Swinney: Within the Scottish Government posts are created and removed regularly to reflect changing business needs. We do not hold a central record of unfilled posts. From 1 April, directors were asked to permanently remove from their staffing profile all unfilled vacancies and thereafter, stricter controls on replacing leavers were introduced. These measures were brought in to help control the costs of administration as the organisation manages significant budget reductions in 2010-11 and beyond.

Waste Management

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is being made available to each local authority in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12, in addition to the local government settlement, to achieve the objectives of the Zero Waste Plan.

Richard Lochhead: The information in respect to (a) is as shown in the following table, which shows Zero Waste Fund (ZWF) monies distributed to local authorities. In accordance with the concordat, neither capital or revenue funding is ring fenced, as it is each local authority’s responsibility to allocate funding as they see fit, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives. For (b), the Scottish Government is unable to offer any commitment to funding until after the Spending Review on 20 October 2010.

  (£ Million Rounded)

  

Council
Capital Share of ZWF 2010-11
Operating Share of ZWF 2010-11
Operating Share of Former SWF Top Up¹
Total Share of ZWF 2010-11


Aberdeen City 
0.219
1.025
 
1.244


Aberdeenshire
0.228
1.080
 
1.308


Angus
0.107
0.505
 
0.612


Argyll and Bute
0.101
0.480
0.005
0.586


Clackmannanshire
0.047
0.224
 
0.271


Dumfries and Galloway
0.149
0.703
0.173
1.025


Dundee City
0.143
0.672
 
0.815


East Ayrshire
0.116
0.547
0.011
0.674


East Dunbartonshire
0.102
0.479
0.125
0.706


East Lothian
0.091
0.430
 
0.521


East Renfrewshire
0.086
0.406
 
0.492


Edinburgh (City of)
0.493
2.339
 
2.832


Eilean Siar
0.027
0.127
0.044
0.198


Falkirk
0.145
0.689
0.045
0.879


Fife
0.349
1.657
 
2.006


Glasgow City
0.609
2.872
0.056
3.537


Highland
0.235
1.112
0.027
1.374


Inverclyde
0.079
0.371
 
0.450


Midlothian
0.077
0.362
 
0.439


Moray
0.085
0.403
 
0.488


North Ayrshire
0.133
0.629
 
0.762


North Lanarkshire
0.313
1.479
 
1.792


Orkney Islands
0.020
0.097
 
0.117


Perth and Kinross
0.143
0.681
0.045
0.869


Renfrewshire
0.167
0.785
 
0.952


Scottish Borders
0.109
0.516
 
0.625


Shetland Islands
0.021
0.100
 
0.121


South Ayrshire
0.114
0.541
 
0.655


South Lanarkshire
0.298
1.412
 
1.710


Stirling
0.092
0.437
 
0.529


West Dunbartonshire
0.089
0.417
 
0.506


West Lothian
0.163
0.773
0.004
0.940


Scotland
5.150
24.350
0.535
30.035



  Notes:

  1. These sums are the former SWF projects that were in the pipeline and not concluded at the time of SR2007.

  Zero Waste Fund apportioned on the basis of waste disposal formula as agreed with COSLA.